Where Is Your Bookmark? (More Dork Diaries & Five Fun Holiday Reads)

I still have three other books in progress, but since I have already featured them here, I am sharing the book my daughter and I just started together: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl (Dork Diaries #2) by Rachel Renée Russell. This is another one in the series Mouse has read before but wanted to read with me her second time around. Hopefully you aren't tired of my mentioning the series yet!

Recipe for disaster: 4 parties. Add 2 friends and 1 crush. Divide by 1 mean girl out to RUIN Nikki. Mix well, put fingers over eyes, and CRINGE. I thought it would NEVER happen, but my life is FINALLY going well for me. 

I’m adjusting to my new school and hanging out with my BFFs Chloe and Zoey. And, get this! My crush, Brandon, has asked ME to be his lab partner—a seriously awesome development. 

However, when I overhear mean girl MacKenzie bragging that Brandon’s taking HER to the Halloween dance, I’m totally BUMMED and sign-up instead to spend Halloween at a kid’s party with my bratty, little sister, Brianna. 

Lucky for me, I find out Mackenzie is lying and my dream of going to the party with Brandon could actually become a reality! But, can I juggle TWO events at the exact same time and survive a wacky assortment of trials, tribulations and disasters?!! HELP!!! [Goodreads Summary]

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the amazing Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

I can't believe this is happening to me!

I'm in the girls' bathroom FREAKING OUT!!

There is NO WAY I'm going to survive middle school.

My initial houghts: Nikki does have a flare for drama as often kids her age do. I love her character though. She's easy to relate to, and I know my daughter likes her too. 

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

I guess Dad must have thought he was being attacked by some kind of oatmeal-crusted, cucumber-eyed zombie wearing a pink fuzzy robe with a bath towel wrapped around its head.

Which, I have to admit, DOES sound awfully scary when you think about it. [excerpt from page 56]

My thoughts: You missed the scream by a page. Dad's high pitched scream when he first came into sight of just what he didn't know. It's a funny scene. I imagine Mom was none too happy.


Have you ever read this series? Did you have a favorite book series when you were a kid? 

Connect Five Friday is a weekly meme where readers share a list of five books, 

read or unread, or bookish things, that share a common theme. 

Hosted by the  Kathryn of of Book Date.

It has only been in recent years that I started more consciously reading holiday-themed books this time of year.  I thought today I would share five holiday-themed books I have enjoyed over the years.

1. Holiday Romance - This was my most recent holiday-themed read. Imagine reliving the same Christmas over and over again in order to find what will make you happy. That's exactly what happens to Mae Jones in this fun romantic comedy novel, In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren. While I some minor issues with it, overall, I found it as funny and touching as I anticipated.

2. Holiday Historical Fiction - Reading a novel written in letters creates an intimacy with the characters that one might not get otherwise, but it also limits the view of what is going on outside the letters. Both Gaynor and Webb do a great job of compensating for this overall in Last Christmas In Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb. I was thoroughly wrapped up Tom and Evie’s story, set during World War I, with glimpses forward 1968. This is one of my all-time favorite novels. 

3. Holiday Mystery - If you like a little murder with your yuletide, this cozy mystery will put you in the spirit. Bells, Spells, and Murders ( Witch City Mystery #7) by Carol J. Perry features new field reporter Lee Barret, who stumbles on a dead body on assignment for one of her stories. It was a fun read, and one that if you give it a try, I hope you will enjoy it too! 

4. Holiday Nonfiction - If you are looking for something a little different than the more sentimental and traditional Christmas-themed tale, you might want to give The Santa Claus Man: The Rise and Fall of a Jazz Age Con Man and the Invention of Christmas in New York by Alex Palmer a try.  It is a good balance between an inspirational read and a cautionary tale about the rise and fall of the Santa Claus Association as well as the history of how Christmas became the extravagant holiday in America it is today. Fraud, kidnapping, stolen art, and much more. Whoever says real life isn't as interesting and entertaining as fiction should take a closer look at history. 

5. Short Story Holiday Fiction (A Mix of Genres) - Mrs. Claus: Not the Fairy Tale They Say edited by Rhonda Parrish is bit of romance, science fiction, crime fighting, horror, comedy, action, and a whole lot of magic mixed in, this collection of short stories is worth checking out. It's Mrs. Claus as you have never seen her before. 

What holiday-themed books would you recommend? 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

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